Ladder



July 10, 1928.

Filed Oct. l1, 1926 R. F. SCHULZKE Einhard F juh mento@ V'Patented July 10, 1928.

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` a RICHARD yr. soi-IULZKE, or PORTLAND, OREGON, yA'ssrekizronfro zoss LAnDEItwoRKs',

'or PORTLAND, OREGON, A CORPORATION or OREGON".v I

LADDER.

lApplication filedv October 11, 1926. Serial Nbflft. v i

The present invention relates primarily to step ladders, and morespeoiically to animrproved construction for the fastening and supporting` of the steps or treads upon the uprights of the step ladder.

-The primary object of the invention resides in the provisionjof. an improved type fifi of bracket whereby thesteps are rigidly anchored at their ends' to the ladder up` rights, in a manner whereby Vthe steps are held against shiftingv laterally, `also against possible tilting.

\ further objectof the invention resides in the provisionl of a novelly constructed bracket for ladder steps',I which n'iay' be eco-' noinically stamped from ysheet metal, and

whichbrnoket is of such construction as tov permit of renewing of the steps should suchv become desirable.'

'Other Objects and advantages ofthe vention` will .be Vapparent lduring the course of the following detailed' description, taken:

i 1 in connection with the "accompanying draw ing forming a part. of this speoication and in'which drawing:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of the tread supporting'uprights of a step ladder and showing the' brackets applied thereto.` Y

Figure 2 1s a fragmentary front View offl the ladder and showing the manner 1n which Aso the -treads are supported between the uprights.

Figure 3 is a detail fragmentary sectional view lon line 3 3 of Figure 5 and showing the bracket in position for supporting of the tread. v

Figure 4 is a perspective view of one of the brackets. y

`Figure 5 is a transverse sec-tion through one of the treads and taken on the line 5 5 of Figure 3. Figure 6 is a plan viewof the blank from which the brackets may be formed.

Referring to the drawing in detail and l wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the letter -A may designate a ladder, embodying a pair of uprights or runners B between which are mounted the steps or treads C' as by means of the improved brackets D.

The uprights B and steps C, are preferably formed of wood, and with the steps being of rectangular shape in cross section for ffReferring new -to inner face of the upright B.

^ metal ofa suitable gauge, the v'same` is bent to form an end plate 110 having lapertured rightzangula-rly extending ears11-and 12 formed at its frontand rearv ends ,respective-y ly. Bent inwardly at a right angle fronry .the upper edge of the vend .plate 10, is ja sub1- stan'tially triangular shaped tie plate 13 hav-` ing an aperture Mvprovided adjacent its iinner end,and which plate is adaptedfto Overlie in =contacting relation,.the upper ,fa-ce Sjef the tread C. i 4Bent inwardly at a rightangle from the lower vedge ofthe end rplate 10, and en -tending parallelwith the tie plate 13, a shelf or rest lplatel-ofA alength equal tothe width of the tread ;C,-an d which rest engages in surface'contact, the lower face .i9 of the tread., Depending at any acute angl-e fromv the' inner edge ofthe shelf 15, is a triangular shaped braeplate 16 having its lower en-dapertured asjat 17 and-offset in a plane parallel with :thel plane of ,the end plate 110. `This :offset portionl ofthe brace yplate 16 provides an attaching foot, 18

adapted tofengage in-.:surfaoe conta-ct, the.

Struck "outwardly, from the, end plate 10, and ata-rightangle from theplate, are V shaped" tangs 1'9- whichgareadapted to. be driven into-the upright B at the inner face of the upright. These `V shaped tangs 19. aid in preventing lateral sliding movement of the bracket across the innerpfaoe of the upright, and also aid inv retaining the upper portion of the bracket. in position iwhen as- V sembling the ladder. i

A bolt or rivetl 2O extendsl through the aperture 17 of the attaching foot 18, and

the upright B for anchoring the lower end of the brace plate to the upright;

Struck from the shelf 15, 'and extending from the lower edge of the end plate 10, is a depending'tongue 22 provided with a -cir`v cular aperture 23 the upper edge of which lies in a like plane as that of the bottom face of the rest plate 15. This tongue 22, lies in surface contact against the inner face of the upright B. f

Struck from the upper end of the brace plate 16, and extending in a like plane as that of the krest plate 15, is a horizontallyl Y2fl ` lation of the rest plate, and which tongue is et to the tread.

provided with `an aperture adapted to align vertically with the aperture lt'of the tie Aplate 13.A These apertures 14 and'25 are adapted to receivey a rivet 26 which extends v vertically through the tread C, and which rivet serves for rigidly anchoring the brack- Byobserving Figure 5,'it Will be vseen that the aperture 23 is oflisetforwardly from the vertically aligning apertures 514 and 25, but that the aperture 23 is-disposed rearwardly of the front edge of the opening 27 formed by the stamping out of the tongue 24.

This specific location of the aperture 23 permits of a tie rod 30 extending` through `the under face of the rest plates 15.

the aperture23 to extend longitudinally beneath the tread C in surface Contact With This tiered 3() is adapted to extend through-,the uprights B and have its ends headed in any suitablemanner at the outer faces of the uprights. Thus it Will be seen that these rodsBO prevent spreading of the uprights B and also form bearings of the treads C; 5 n

The ears 1l and 1 2,"Which project overl for the opposite ends the frontand rear edges respectively of the .uprights, have fastening elements 32 in the formofscrew'sor nails, `extending through the `apertures thereof intothe uprights7 and Which fastening elements servefor further' fastening the braeketsfto the Vuprights Thus it Will be seen that if so desired, a tie rod 30 need not necessarily be disposed beneath eachtread, since the fastening elements 32'Will`serve for fastening the-ends of the treads, together' With the brackets', tor

the uprights B. p

From the-'foregoing description it Will be apparent that an improved and novelly con" strueted braeketrhas `been provided for use in the fastening of treads to the uprights of a ladder, in a manner Whereby'an eX- 4tremelyrigid and durable construction Will be had, and which brackets may be economically stamped fromsheet metal so formed as to effectively and efficiently tie the ends of the treads to the uprights against possible lateral shifting in either direction or allowing possible tilting-of the treads When va considerable Weight is applied to one edge of thetread. It Will also be apparent that a.

novel construction has been provided Whereby the tie rods for thetreads also serve as a support for the treads at the uprights of the ladder. f 'f l 1 Changesin detail maybe made to the specificy form of the invention herein shown and described, Without departing romtlie spirit of the invention or the scopeof'the f following claim.

Iclaim: t n 'r f' l In a stepladder comprising uprights and treads extending between then uprights,

means for securing the ends of the treads to the uprightsz comprisingl `bracket members each embodying an end plate havingl ears formed at ythe ends thereoffor attachment to the front and rear edges of an upright, a

rest plate extendingv inwardly from the low* er edge lof the end vplate and having an,.apertured tongue7 a brace plate depending at an acute angle from the inner tend" ofv 'thev rest 

